Pocket flash-light.



F. M. ROSENFELU.

POCKET FLASH LIGHT.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.6.1916.

Patentvd Nov. 5, 1918.

' serted in the UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANCIS M. BOSENFELD, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR 'IO IMPORT SALES COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

rocxnr FLASH-LIGHT.

Specification of Letters Iatent.

Patented Nov. 5, 1918.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANCIS M. RosEN- rnw, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the borough of Manhattan, city, county, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pocket Flash-Lights, of which the following is a description.

My invention relates to pocket flashlights, and particularly to flash-lights of the flat vest pocket type.

Flash-lights of this type generally include a flat casing of metal or some other suitable material, in-which are inclosed a lamp and a battery having both pole pieces at the end adjacent the lamp. One of the pole pieces overlies the longitudinal center of the battery and contacts with the lamp base when the parts are assembled, and the other pole piece lies adjacent one side or the other of the casing, depending upon the way in which the battery has been inserted therein. The means for controlling the lamp circuit of such a flash-light generally comprises a member mounted within the casing at one side thereof, which member is movable into and out of contact with this last mentioned pole piece, provided the battery has been incasing in such a way that the pole piece is adjacent that side of the casing. If, however, through ignorance or carelessness, the battery is inserted in the casing, in the opposite way, the circuit closing member becomes entirely inefi'ective, which, of course, renders the flash-light useless, and this often causes great annoyance and inconvenience to the user.

One ob'ect of my invention is to eliminate the possi ility of thus rendering the flashlight inefiective, and I accomplish this object by providing a circuit closing device which will operate equally well, irrespective of the way in which the battery has been inserted in the casing.

Another object of my invention is to provide a flash-light of the type described with a sprin clip' or retaining it in the pocket.

Anot er object of my 1nvention is to so arrange the spring clip that it is used not only as a means for retaining the flash-light in the pocket, but also as a means for operating the circuit closing device.

In accordance with my invention, I contemplate, also, the provision of means secured to the spring clip and cooperating with the casing for normally retaining the circuit closing device in inoperative position.

Referring to the drawing,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved flash-light;

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view thereof;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view thereof;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the relation between the circuit closing device and the spring clip; and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view also showing the relation between these parts.

As is customary, the casing 10 of my improved flash-light is of metal. Secured to the top of this casing, in any suitable manner, is the reflector 11, the lower portion of which forms a socket to receive the base 12 of the lamp 13. In this way, one terminal of the lamp is electrically connected to the metallic casing 10. The battery 14, which is inclosed within the casing, is provided at the top with two pole pieces 15, 16. The pole piece 15, as shown, is bent toward the center so as to contact with the terminal 17 of the lamp, and the other pole Piece 16 lies adjacent one side or the other 0 the casing, depending upon the way in which the battery has been inserted therein. For example, in Fig. 2, this (pole piece is shown adjacent the ri ht-han side of the casing 10, but, if the battery were reversed, this pole piece would be adjacent the left-hand side of the casing 10.

As above noted, it is customary to provide some suitable circuit closing device upon one side only of the casing, so that it is necessary, in order to render the flash-light operative, to insert the batte in such a way that the pole piece 16 is a jacent that particular side of the casing. In my invention, however, I eliminate this disadvantage by providing a circuit closing device which will contact with the pole piece 16, irrespective of which side of the casing this pole piece is adjacent. I

As shown in Fig. 4, my improved circuit closing device preferably comprises a metallic plate 18 which is substantially coextensive with the top of the casing 10, and which when in its inoperative position lies adjacent the interior surface of the top. This plate is cut away, as indicated at 19, in order to avoid interference therewith by the reflector 11. The plate 18 is also provided with a downwardly extending guiding flange 20, to which the manually operable controlling member 21 is adapted to be connected. This controlling member 21 preferably comprises a spring clip of any suitable design, said member being herein shown as providml with a pair of cars 22 in sliding contact with the exterior of the easing 10. The rivets 23 which pass through slots 24 in the casing connect together the clip 21 and the circuit closing device 18, so that a sliding movement of the clip 21 will cause a similar movement of the member 18 within the casing.

Normally, the plate 18 is held in inoperative position out of contact with the pole piece 16 by some such means as the lip 25 integral with the clip 21 and extending over the top edge of the casing 10. When, however, it is desired to close the lamp circuit, the clip 21 may be moved downwardly, with the result that the member 18 is moved into contact with the pole piece 16, and a circuit is thus established from the pole piece 15, through the lamp filament, through the reflector 11 and the casing 10, and thence to the plate 18 and the pole piece 16.

It is evident that since the plate 18 of my improved flash-light will contact with the pole piece 16 of the battery, whether this pole piece be adjacent the right-hand side of the casing, or adjacent the left-hand side thereof, no care need be exercised in placing the battery within the casing in any particular manner so long as the pole pieces are adjacent the top of the casing. It is evident also that the spring clip which I have provided as a means for controlling the movement of the plate 18 will effectively retain the flash-light in the pocket, and that whether the flash-light is in the pocket or not, the lip 25 coiiperating with the top of the casing will prevent accidental movement of the clip 21 and the plate 18. In placing the flash-light in the pocket, the tendency is to move the clip 21 to its upward limit of movement, so that the lip 25 will be brought into action automatically, in case it is not already operative.

What I claim is 1. A pocket flash light combining a metallic casing, a lamp socket located in one end of the casing and having a pole in electric-a1 contact with the casing, a battery in the casing provided with a pole piece adapted to contact with one pole of the lamp in the socket, the pole piece extending to the center of the casing, whereby the pole piece contacts with said pole of the lamp, whether the battery is inserted in the casing in one position or in another position; the battery being provided with a second pole piece extending toward said end of the casing out of contact with the socket, and a manually operable device in said end of the casing and in electrical contact with said casing for making contact with said pole piece, said device extending in a plurality of directions from the socket whereby said device is adapted to contact with said second pole piece whether the battery is inserted in the ca sing in one position or in another position.

2. A pocket flash light combining a metallic casing, a lamp socket centrally located in one end of the casing and having a ole in electrical contact with the casing, a attery in the casing provided with a resilient pole piece adapted to contact with the central pole of the lamp in the socket, the pole piece extending to the center of the casing .Whereby the pole piece contacts with said pole of the lamp, whether the battery is inserted in the casing in one position or in another position; the battery being provided with a second pole piece extending toward said end of the casing out of contact with the socket, a spring pocket clip adjacent said end of the casing and slidable in the casing, and a device adjacent said clip and moved thereby and in electrical contact with said casing for making contact with said pole piece, said device extending in a plurality of directions from the socket whereby said device is adapted to contact with said second pole piece whether the battery is inserted in the casing in one position or in another position.

3. A pocket flash light combinin a metallic casing, a lamp socket locate in one end of the casing and having a, pole in electrical contact with the casing, a battery in the casing provided with a pole piece auapted to contact with one pole of the lamp in the socket, the pole piece extending to the center of the casing, whereby the pole piece contacts with said pole of the lamp, whether the battery is inserted in the casing in one position or in another position; thebattery being provided with a second pole piece extending toward said end of the casing out 01 contact with the socket, a manually operable device in said end of the casin and in electrical contact with said casing or making contact with said pole piece, said device extending in a plurality of directions from the socket whereby said device is adapted to Contact with said second pole piece whether the battery is inserted in the casing in one specification in the presence of two subposition or in another osltion, and means scribing witnesses.

associated with said evice for retaining said device in open-circuit position again st FRANCIS ROSENFELD 6 accidental movement in circuit-closing di- Witnesses:

rection. WAUI'EB S. Jomns,

In testimony whereof I have signed this M. M. RIEMANN. 

